The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-02-23
SEEING A BATTLE.
BY JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.

II did not happen to very many of the
soldiers of the war of the rebellion that
they were enabled to stand off and look
on while battle was in progress. Ii hap
pened to me once under peculiar circum-
stances, and a magnificent sight it was.
This occurred at Fishers Hill, Va, Sept.
%. 1864.
Two days before we woke from our biv-
ouacs beyond Winchester. with ranks de-
pleted by the battle, somewhat tired yet
with its labors and excitements, and ex-
pecting to march at once in pursuit of
the enemy. Everything was soon in mo-
ton; the cavalry thrown out far in the
advance, the infantry marching through
the fields in three columns. and the ar
tillery taking the pike. From Win
chester to Strasburg is twenty miles; Fish
ers Hill is Just beyond the latter place.
Kearnstown, Newtown and Middletown are
on the pike along this route, and the whole
region was an old battle ground. About
every square foot of it had been fought
over since the spring of 1862. For the first
time our arms were thoroughly successful
here; for the very first time, after the war
had progressed three years and n half,
Union army was following up thoroughly
beaten and retreating enemy.
General Sheridan felt decidedly well that
morning. His famous dispatch about
Sending Early whirling up the Valley,
had gone by telegraph the night before to
Washington, and was at this moment cleo
trifying the country. Winchester was the
first positive, clear-cut, decided victory that
our arms had gained since Sherman occu-
pied Atlanta, and both people and army
felt well over it. AS our army footed it
along with the e-step, about ten o'clock
that morning, Sheridan and his staff over
took us. | noticed that he wore n new pair
of long buckskin gauntlets. The men
cheered him, of course, and he bowed.
But it was plain to be seen that.he was "all
business" and had no time for fuss or pa
rade. There was not much of the "banner
and band of music" style about this man
on a>campaign. He would have review
when he thought it necessary for the spirit
and encouragement of his army, or any
part of it; but he seemed in his natural ele-
ment when he was putting the ego" into
everybody ard everything-as he was this
morning.
AS the great peaks of the Massanutton
Mountains, and the frowning wall of FISH
er's Hill began TO appear in the dim dis
lance, signs of something on hand were
seen. The throb and boom of artillery
came family back to us. We saw staff
officers and ordeiles flying up the pike and
across the fields. The Signal Corps were
nence, from the root OF house, n barn, or
a tree, their waving flags were sending
back intelligence of the enemy.
1t was wonderful and most useful arm
of the service. Their value on this cam
paign was very great. Not only by day
light did they signal as far as their flags
could be seen, but at night, with waving
lanterns, from the high SUBMITS of this re-
gion, they were known to send news at a
distance Of ten and even fifteen and
twenty miles.
Before night we halted outside of Stras-
burg. Our pickets were ut the north end
of the town. and the enemys ut the south
of it. No fires could be allowed, for they
would have invited a hostile she'll. My
regiment was bivouacked in ravine, and
before lying down that night we partook of
a sumptuous repast of hard-tack raw salt
pork, and water. Manys the time since
that / paid a dollar for meal that
irelished far less than that humble smack"
The next morning some of Sheridan's
infantry charged through the town and
drove ont the Confederate pickets. Sheri-
dan and the other Generals rode out well in
front of Strasburg, accommodating the
.enemy's position. Some high ground, we'll
advanced from the hill, Early had seized
for an outpost, and this Sherman deter
mined to have, TO demonstrate from. A
brigade of the Sixth Corps was sent in and
took it after stiff fight During the rest
of the day the woodchoppers' axes were
heard from this position, as they forti-
fed it.
Pretty much the whole of this day was
occupied in getting the army into position.
The Sixth Corps held the right facing the
hill; the Eighth was held back in reserve,
for movement that Sheridan was medi-
tating; the Nineteenth was on the left, its
left flank "reposed," or thrown back to
conform to the course of the Shenandoah
River. on which it rested.
1t was quite dark when an order came to
our regiment to go out and relieve the One
Hundred and Sixteenth New York. on
picket, taking the extreme left of our line.
We fell in, formed fours, and started.
We had n guide who knew something of
the situation and the route to it., but who
was not entirely certain, and he caused us
some unnecessary marching, which did not
Improve our temper. / don't know of any
thing that is more irritating to officers in
command of troops than to go laundering
along on dark night, searching for po-
sition that they are ordered 10 take imme-
diately, but the location of which they must
find as they go. The best of tempers will
sometimes give way under that kiad of a
strain, as some of ours did that night.
We were directed out through the town,
beyond its eastern extremity. Had there
been any light, we should have discovered
that We were about TO cross the Manassas
Gap Railroad. We did discover the fact,
but it was only by stumbling over the track
when numerous Officers and gentlemen
as we'll as men with the musket, sprawled
at full length on the sacred soil.
But everything has an end, and we final
sy got into position and relieved the other
regiment. Our Major was the only field
officer present; the Colonel had been
wounded at Winchester. and the Lieutenant
Colonel nj Pleasant Hill, away up the Red
River. Major Curtiss took the left wing as
"A reserve, and established himself with il
Just within the town. /. being the senior
Captain present, was ordered to take the
other five companies, keep small reserve